Jieyan Zheng, Xiao Min Zhang, Wenting Tang, Yonglin Li, Pei Wang, Jianhua Jin, Zhengyi Luo, Shunchang Fang, Shana Yang, Zicheng Wei, Kexin Song, Zihan Huang, Zihao Wang, Ziyu Zhu, Naizhen Shi, Diyun Xiao, Linyu Yuan, Hualin Shen, Lianyan Huang, Boxing Li
Itch encompasses both sensory and emotional dimensions, with the two dimensions reciprocally exacerbating each other. However, whether a shared neural circuit mechanism governs both dimensions remains elusive. Here, we report that the anterior insular cortex (AIC) is activated by both histamine-dependent and -independent itch stimuli. The activation of AIC elicits aversive emotion and exacerbates pruritogen-induced itch sensation and aversion. Mechanistically, AIC excitatory neurons project to the GABAergic neurons in the dorsal bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (dBNST)...
March 6, 2024: Current Biology: CB